There’s no better sign that winter has started than by Montrealers being excited about the mercury rising slightly above 0°C.

While Quebec and Montreal have been blasted with fridged cold over the past week, Environment Canada’s predictions for the next few days are looking decidedly milder by comparison.

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Environment Canada

Saturday, December 21, will be a distinct improvement over the -33°C we faced on Thursday, but still is predicted to deliver a still somewhat unpleasant high of -9°C, with a mix of sun and clouds during the day and a low of -13°C overnight.

Sunday, December 22, is where the weekend really shines with a predicted high of 1°C and a low of -1°C at night — that’s practically t-shirt weather. Don’t break out the swim trunks and sunscreen just yet though, as there is a chance of flurries predicted over the course of the day.

Not to be outdone, Monday, December 23, is when Environment Canada says the above freezing temperatures will peak with a daytime high of 5°C. From there out the temperatures will slide back down below 0°C for the remainder of the week.

With all the ups and downs already faced by Montrealers in the new winter season, you might think we deserve a white Christmas, though we’ve been told not to expect one.